
Activities Explanation

Our curated activities
Based Off The Kakano Curriculum
Sonic Phonics is built around the trusted New Zealand Kākano Seed Phase framework for teaching phonics. Our activities follow this framework, but in a more enjoyable format for our children to enjoy. Here is a run-through of our activity titles:

soundIntro
We introduce the child to the letter and give them three examples of objects using that word, usually everyday objects/phrases.
At Kakano 1, the student needs to learn the first nine letters of the phonics ‘alphabet’: M, A, D, P, O, T, N, I, and S. For our first progression, we will teach the child the first set: M, A, D. Then, these three letters will be combined into a bunch of activities for the child to revise.

soundVoicingFixedLetter
We introduce the ‘speaking’ factor learning by helping the child say the word three times. Our voiceover guides the child and gives them space to try again by clicking on the letter.

handwritingModelled
Now we introduce the ‘writing’ factor. In handwritingModelled, our guide shows the child, step by step, how to write the letter via the New Zealand education standard.
handwritingGuided
Children practice forming the letter through gradual release of responsibility. Here, our model breaks down the letters into parts with arrows, explaining how the child should follow the screen. The child should not take their finger off the screen as we do so, writing the complete letter with guidance.
handwritingTrace
Similar to the previous activity, the child is guided via the arrow and with no audio guidance. This release of guidance will help the child feel confident to draw and view their writing, with the letter in the background as a guideline.
handwritingIndep
Being the final writing activity for practice, we remove the guideline and provide the child with the freedom to write the letter as they remember. However, we set boundaries through our system to make sure what the child writes is as accurate to the model.
soundBubbles
To introduce a sense of play, we release a randomised sequence of letters as ‘bubbles’ into the screen, and ask the child to pop the ones with the respective letter that they have learnt. If they get it correct, the bubble will sound out the letter, and if wrong, we will indicate so. This game will last 30 seconds to allow the child to get familiar with the letter and how it sounds.
soundPictureTeach
In the next two activities, we provide the child with an opportunity to link sounds to everyday objects. In soundPictureTeach, we instruct the child on how to play this activity and provide an example. One object on the gear will start with the letter shown on the tablet, as the other will not.

soundPictures
After teaching, this is where the child has to play the activity on their own. As guidance, we let the child press on the letter to hear it if they are stuck. When they click the right gear, they successfully move to the next set with the same letter, until done it 3 times. If wrong, we will indicate so.

chooseActivity
After the child has successfully completed learning a set of 3 from the Kakano 1 list:
-M, A, D [ Set 1 ]: chooseActivity will show these 3 letters
-P, O, T [Set 2 ]: chooseActivity will show the 6 letters
-N, I, S [ Set 3 ]: chooseActivity will show all 9 letters
They are shown this game set where they can choose an activity to revise their set, all of which randomly select between the letters from a set. Repetition here is key to allow the child to remember their phonics.

soundVoicing
This activity is a direct repetition of the ‘soundVoicingFixedLetter’ above from the practice rounds. However, the child has to repeat a randomised letter from what they have learnt, 3 times each.
soundSelector
The child is to find the connection between sound and the written letter in this activity. The avatar will say the letter out loud, in the child can press again if forgotten or stuck. The link is symbolised through a ‘drag and drop’ wire feature, where the child is shown how to connect the audio to the gear, as shown. This is repeated 3 times per letter.
pictureToSoundSelector
Here we initiate relating objects to letters, but the objects are randomised between the set of letters so the child will have the opportunity to put what they have learnt into use.
pictureToSoundVoicing
More advanced than the previous activities, the child has to now link objects with sounds, but via their own voice. The object will appear on screen and the child will have to sound out the letter respective to the object. There will be guidance in the beginning.
handwritingIndepFixedLetter
Similar to the practice rounds of learning the letter, the child is to hear the audio of the letter and write it freehand onto the tablet with guides. The child has to rewrite that same letter 3 times in sets. There are boundaries, so the child is incentivised to follow the correct writing guide for the letter.

handwritingIndepFixedLetter
Similar to the practice rounds of learning the letter, the child is to hear the audio of the letter and write it freehand onto the tablet with guides. There are boundaries, so the child is incentivised to follow the correct writing guide for the letter.